Ash and Light

[Intro] City hums, concrete heartbeat, I’m wide awake in the midnight rain Scarred sneakers squeak, I trace the steps of a kid with a plan, no shame [Verse 1] I learned to read the wind, it tells me which corners hold my fate Windows grimy with the stories of a hundred hands that negotiate Mama whispered prayers while the stove hummed like a distant choir I barter time for minutes, counting every risk I must acquire Niggas riding by with chrome and grit, they weigh the same as a choice I swallow doubt, spit out courage, hustle tuned like a steel-reinforced voice I hustle for a future that ain’t on sale in the gas-lamp glare I sketch a brighter morning on the back of a cigarette ash and prayer [Pre-Chorus] Pressure sits on my chest like a second skin I can’t shed But I keep writing my truth in the margins of the life I’ve led [Chorus] I rise from the ash when the sirens sing a lullaby at night I push through the shadows, keep my eyes on the tiny flame of light Every scar a map, every setback a step toward something real I’m alive in the grind, I refuse to quit, I’m still here, I still feel [Verse 2] I count the coins in my palm, not enough to buy a tomorrow, yet enough to bet on it I trade in favors like a clerk, but I keep my integrity as my only honest split Late shifts, cold floors, I memorize the rhythm of a city that never forgives I learned to pivot when doors close, find a window where a breath still lives I’ve seen doors swing open when you ask with the patience of a prayer And I’ve watched them slam shut if your heart isn’t already there [Pre-Chorus] I carry a photo of better days tucked under the sleeve of my hoodie The weight reminds me why I hustle, why I steady my moodie [Chorus] I rise from the ash when the sirens sing a lullaby at night I push through the shadows, keep my eyes on the tiny flame of light Every scar a map, every setback a step toward something real I’m alive in the grind, I refuse to quit, I’m still here, I still feel [Bridge] There’s a war inside between fear and faith, I pick the latter’s seed I plant it in the cracks of sidewalks, water it with patient creed If doubt returns like a debt collector, I answer with calm and grace I’m building something lasting, byte by byte, brick by brick, face to face [Chorus] I rise from the ash when the sirens sing a lullaby at night I push through the shadows, keep my eyes on the tiny flame of light Every scar a map, every setback a step toward something real I’m alive in the grind, I refuse to quit, I’m still here, I still feel [Outro] City fades to dawn, I lace up once more, the horizon calls me forward With every breath I choose resilience, with every step I honor the overdue I am the story I’m writing, ink drying but the lines stay alive, strong and true